Aeroplane



Feb.- 16, 1932.

L.. M. WQOLSON AEROPLANB Filed Oct. 10. 1929 2 Shouts-'smet Feb.16,'1932.

L. M. WOOLSQN AEROPLANE Filed Oct. 10. 1929 2 Sheets -Sheet 2 ttomqPatented Feb. 16, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIONEL M. WOOLSON, OFDETBOIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO PACKARD MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF DETBOIT,MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN AEBOPLANE Application filled October10, 1929. Serial No. 398,&18.

This invention relates to aeroplanes and more particularly to cowling:for engines.

It is weil known that the shroudng of an aeroplane engine presents asurface whch induces greater speed because the resstance to air is lessthan that of the engine, and the practise of providing cowling for theengine of an aeroplane is quite universal. With the cowling now used, itis necessary to entirely remove the same before access can be had to theengine so that considerable time and efort are required in making even asmple engine adjustment.

An object of my invention is to provide a cowling which permits quickaccess to any desired cylinder of the en ine.

Another object of my nvention s to pro vide a sectional cowling foraeroplane engines which is arranged so that at least one of the sectionscan be adjusted to expose at least one of the engine cylinders.

A further object of the invention s to provide an engine cowlin which scomposed of a. plurality of rotata ly adjustable sections which can bereadily manipulated to expose any one of the cylinders.

Still another object of the inventon s to provide a combined cowling andshntter structure for an engine in which portons of the cowlin can bemoved to expose engine cylinders without disturbing the arrangement ofthe shutter.

These and otherobjects of the invention will appear from the followingdescription taken in connection with the drawings, which form a part ofthis specification and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the front end of an aeroplane engineembodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a front elevition of the same, with one of the cowlingsections moved to a position uncovering one of the cylinders,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken online 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig, 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the sections of the cowling, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional View; of the cowling taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings by charac ters of reference, 10 representsthe crank case of un engine with which a pluraiity of cylindcrs 11 areradally associated. A crank shaft 12 extends axially through the crankcase and a propeller 13 is secured to the forward end thereof. Theengineand propeller drive can be of any conventional desi n and a furtherdescription thereof is not thought to be necessary in understanding thisinvention.

A cowling, ndicnted generally at 14, is arrangcd to enclose the engine,and is of u :form to closely surround the engine and oicr a mininunresistance to the air. The cowl-- ing is prcferably forned of threemembers 15, 16, and 17, each of which has a hub por--` tion 18 fromwhich a segmental section 19 exi tends, the extensions being formed toprovide a circular enclosure when associated for pro -ress in the air.The hub portion of the cow ing sections are mounted on the forwardreduced end 20 of the crank case and are retained thereon by theretainer pinte 21 which is Secured to the end of the crank case by capscrews 21'. The se ments are provided with openin s 22 to ac mit airpassage .interorly of t e cowling for cooling the euine, and the rearend of the engine cowliug` s spaced from the forward end of the inselage cowling 23 to permit such air to pass out wardly.

The amount of air ermitted to pass through the engine cowlng openi'ngs22 is controlled by a shutter member 24. The shutter consists of a diskmounted on the engine casing extension 20 and provided with Open-- ingsadapted to register with those in the engine cowling segments. -Suitablenechanism is provided to rotate the shutter sufli ciently to open andclose the cowling openings and to this end I provide u bell crank 25pivotally Secured to a bracket 26 on the en gine. An adjustable rod 27is fixed to the shutter and pivotally connected to the beti crank, whilea cable 28 is connected to the other end of the bell crank and extendsover a pulley 29 to the cock pit of the aeroplane.

liti@ A coil spring '30 is arranged between the bell crank and theengine to normall maintain the shutter in a position closing t e cowlingopenings, and the cable can be pulled and secured to nove the Shutter ina position to open the cowling openings the desired degree as requiredto cool the engine as different temperatures are encountered.

The sections 15 and 17 are formed so that the segmente thereof will liein the same plane so that they can be swung beneath the segment 16, orthe segment 16 swung thereon as the case may be. The sections 15 and 17have a guide strip 31 Secured to their inner surfaces, such stri servingas a retaner for the outer edge of t e Shutter. It will be seen that thesegments, while slightly overlappng at their adjacent'edges, can berotated as desired to uncover any cylinder, and without interfering withthe position of the shutter or its Operating mechanism,

Suitable quick detachable means s provided to naintain the cowlingsections n relation to completely enclose the engine. A pair of brackets32 are Secured to the fuselage cowling 23 in a manner to pro]ect beneaththe extreme edges of the segment 16 and the edges of the adjacentsegments which are telescoped thereunder. Cap screws 33 are extcndedthrough apertures in the overlappng edges of the sections and arescrewed into the brackets to retain the segments in fixed postion. Uponthe removal of the screws from one bracket, either the segment 17 or 15is released and can be rotated in either direction.

It will be seen that the cowling provided is arranged so that any one ofthe cylinders can be readily exposed without removal of the cowling orany section thereof, and thus a great saving in time is had when engineadjustments, repairs, or inspection is required.

WVhile I have herein described in some detail a s ecific embodiment ofmy invention, which fdeem to be new and advantageous and mayspecifically claim, I do not desire t to be understood that my inventionis limited to the exact details of the Construction, as 1t will beapparent that changes may be made therein without departing from thespirt or sco e of my invention.

hat I claim is:

1. In an aeroplane, a circular cowling for enclosing the power plantformed of a plurality of sections revolvable about the cowling axs.

2. In an aeroplane, a circular cowling for the engine comprising acasing having a portion revolvable about the axis of the cowling toexpose a portion of the engine.

3. In an aeroplane, an engine cowling comprising a casing formed of aplurality of rotatable sections detachably Secured together and movableto expose any one of the engine cylinders.

4. In an aeroplane, a circular engine cowlin comprising a plurality ofsections indivi ually rotatable about the axis of the cowling and meansfor securing said sections together to forman enclosing casing.

5. In an aeroplane, an engine having a forwardly projectn cowlingsections orming a circu ar cow ing for the engine and rotatably mountedon the projecting crank case about the axis of the cowling, and meansfor retaining said sections together.

6. In an aeroplane, an engine having a forwardly projectng crank case',a plurality of cowlin sections rotatably mounted on the projectng crankcase, means for retaining the cowlin sections together, and meansassociated with the crank case for retaining the sections on the crankcase.

7 In an aeroplane, an engine cowling comprising a plurality ofrevolvable members each including a hub and a segmental extenson. r

8. In an aeroplane, an engine cowling comprising three members eachincluding a hub and a segment, the segmental 3ortion of two of themembers being rotata le beneath a sinilar portion of the other member.

9. In an aeroplane, an engine cowling comprising three members eachincluding a rotatable mounted hub and a segmental extension, theextension of two of the members being formed to lay in the same planeand to rotate on one side of the segmental portion of the other member,and means for securing the members together as a casing.

10. In an aeroplane, an en ine cowling comprising a plurality of rotatale members, said members havin air ports therein, detachable meansretaining said members in fixed relation, an adjustable Shutterassociated with the cowling to control the air ports, and shutterretaining means fixed to the cowling sections.

11. In an aeroplane, an engine, a circular cowling for enclosing theengine formed of a plurality of sections rotatable about the cowlingaxis, and means associated with the engine upon which the sections areconcentrically mounted.

12. In an aeroplane, a radial engine, and a plurality of sectionsadapted to form a circucrank case, a luralit of 4 lar housing forenclosing the engine, said sec-

